The Assassin Peace
by Psifigirl
Summary: Set 10 years after Sozin’s Comet. The end of a war doesn’t mean the fighting stops or that everyone gets a happy ending.
1. Chapter 1 Snow

Ch1. Snow

Ten years ago life had seemed so simple. The war was over, Oazi was defeated and they could all live happy peaceful lives from then on. But sadly things had not gone as planned. Just because Oazi and Azula were locked up didn't mean that the fighting had stopped, far from it. At first Katara had been sent by The Council to stop the rouge generals and any leftover solders that had refused to stop fighting. However it didn't end there either. Next was the Earth Kingdom warriors who wanted revenge on the Fire Nation and it was Zuko who was the one sending her. And after that is was anyone who threatened the new peace.

It seemed to her that all she ever did was fight, while everyone lived happily. Zuko and Aang sat around talking peace. Sokka had left her to move to Kyoshi Island with Suki. Ty Lee now a Kyoshi Warrior joined them in their happy lives. Even Toph had gone home to reconcile with parents and was now running her families land by day and the Earth Rumble by night. They all still train to fight, but now it was for fun. Katara couldn't help feeling a bit envious of all her friends. The only thing that kept her from running home was the slim hope that Aang would be there when she returned from her latest mission. At least that was what she told herself. This was what was passing through her mind as she stepped on to the air ship that would take her back to her home in the Fire Nation capital of Jin Se Cheng.

"Get this ship in the air NOW! And have a fresh jug of water brought to my quarters." Katara order without even looking at the soldier she passed. The solder noted the growl in her voice and took off as fast as he could. He and the other Soldiers that had worked under her command had long ago learned to do as she said as fast as they could when she growled. When angry she would make life on the ship a living hell. The captain had once told his wife that it was like working under Azula again, but without the fear of death. She would make you wish you were dead but she would never kill you. Katara knew the ship's crew feared her, some probably hated her too, but she had stopped caring. She wanted the whole world to hurt the way she did and she was going to start with her ship and work her way out.

As she entered her room she stared to remove her blood soaked clothing. She couldn't get out of her grimy work clothes off fast enough. When she was in those awful clothes she was a different person, one who wore blood like a badge. A person she had never wanted to be, a person she didn't want to be anymore.

The blood that coated her black tunic and pants didn't show, excepted for a slight shine that spoke of the cloths dampness. She was sick of wearing black all the time. She was even sick of her fire nation clothing and there color, the color of blood; thou she like them better then the black. She longed to once again wear her happy blue robes. And to be back in those happy days just after the war was over. But all that was behind her.

As the ship rose in to the air she noticed that it kicking up a lot of the freshly fallen snow. She open her window and stood there letting the snow blow on to her naked body. It felt good, and cold. It was as far from the warmth of blood that still clung to her body, as she could get. This was water, her element, in its best form. It was almost like being home, again.

The sound of the ceramic jug hitting the floor seemed to be miles away, however it had brought her back to the room and the solder who had entered it. He was shocked to see her this way and she knew it. She didn't care who saw her body or how uncomfortable it made them. That was their problems not hers. Without turning she spoke. "Put the jug by the desk. Take the clothes and have them cleaned. And get OUT." The guard did as he was told, stumbling the whole way. She was left to get back to the wind and snow. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine she was back in the South Pole. That she was just a woman of the tribe. As if out of nowhere the thought of her lover jumped in to her mind, and she was brought back to the room on the air ship. This was her life now and there was no way around it.

Many miles away in Omashu, Aang strode in the palace courtyard as the snow fell around him. He missed Katara right now. Snow always reminded him of her. A flood of memories passed though him. He remembered when they had met eleven years ago and all their travels together, before he pulled out his favorite memory of them penguin sledding. When there was time they should return to the South Pole. They had yet to return and see all the new things there. He had heard that Master Pakku and the other relocated water benders had built a great city of ice, with beautiful gardens that surround a green house so large it had yet to be filled to its fullest. It was a site to see, or so he was told.

This peace had left little time to travel just for fun. He spent most of his time in either Ba Sing Sa or the Jin Se Cheng, so he could be at meetings with The Council that had been formed in the weeks after the end of the war. He had modeled it after the gang, a representative from each nation that would meet to discuss their concerns and find peaceful solutions to the world's problems. It had taken some convincing of the leaders of the other nation to agree to it. In the end, there would be two representatives chosen from each nation and a base of operation was chosen in the Jin Se Cheng. The choice of where The Council was to be located had always confused him. He had though that the Earth Kingdom would have wanted the honor of hosting The Council of Nations, because it would be a position of power, and the North and South Poles where too far way and far too cold for most people. When it had been suggested that the setting be in the Fire Nation there had been no argument. He had let it go, as he did so many things.

He wondered if Katara missed the snow. She spent all her time working with ether the Council or acting as the Water Tribe's ambassador. She had only left her work once, when Suki and Sokka had their first child. But she had only been there a short time before returning to her work. It was her commitment to work that made him love her.

He tried to remember when he had seen her last, but he couldn't. He did wish that he had more time to spend with her. When he wasn't meeting with the leaders of the different nations, The Council kept him busy with good will tours. He still had several more places to visit on this tour, but maybe he could take a brief brake to go visit her. He was the Avatar after all.

Hundreds of miles away snow was falling on the little model of the new South Pole Capital. The globe rested in Mai's thin hand. Her attention had been drawn to it the moment she walked in to the room. As she looked at the little buildings she couldn't help but wonder what snow was like? Zuko had tried to explain it but she still couldn't picture it. She understood the sciences of it but she still couldn't wrap her mind around it. It was rain that wasn't rain. It was something that needed to be experienced. Now that she was The Fire Lady and a mother it wasn't unlikely she was ever going to get the chance.

"Did you get another gift from the Water Tribe?"

Zuko looked up from his papers, and saw the snow globe that his wife was holding. "No it isn't from the Water Tribe." He went back to his papers. He really wished she wouldn't just wander in to his office. He had work to do.

"Is there something you needed?"

"No just wanted to see how you were doing. You weren't at breakfast again this morning, your also missed dinner again and your son has been asking for you." Mai had to work to keep her voice even, when what she really wanted to do was yell at him. But years of training had told her that yelling was un-lady like. And that a Fire Lady never raised her voice above the sound of babbling broke.

Zuko once again looked up at Mai. He knew he wasn't spending as much time with his family as he should. He set his papers down and reached out for Mai's hand. "I have been busy with work and The Council has been making demand of me. I am trying to running country here." The tone was his voice spoke to the **annoyance** of having to tell her something she should already know. Trying to calm himself he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. She was so soft and smelled like Jasmine. He did need to spend more time with her and their son. "Why don't we have dinner together tomorrow night? Just you, me and Iroh."

Mai narrowed her eyes and gave him one of her uncharacteristic smiles. She was willing to let the sound of his annoyance in is voice and forces on the words.

"Promise?"

"Promise." He said it with a smile of his own, one that she knew was for her only. He knew why she made him promise. He had told her many times before that he would be at dinner or tea or half a dozen other events that he never shown up for. He had never broken a promise to her though. And He never would. She looked him over and knew in her heart what he would keep this and all his other promises. So she kissed him and rose to leave.

"Tomorrow then."

She silently exited the room without looking back. For several minutes after she left, Zoku sat watching the door. Her presence still lingered in the room. He wasn't going to disappoint her again. He would be at dinner tomorrow, even if it killed him.

As he slumped back in his chair his eyes fell on the glass globe of the South Pole. He took it in his hands. Snow fell on the tiny city. He missed the snow and the freedom he had had when he first experienced it. He sighed and replaced the globe.


	2. Chapter 2 Notes

A/N: I want to say sorry about takening so long to get this chapter out. I am trying to get as much as the story done as I can so there are no month long gaps wile I write a new chapter. Please tell me what you think. I love feedback.

Ch.2 Notes

The sun wasn't even in the sky yet when Zuko slid out of his gold sheets. Fire benders, it was well known, always rose with the sun, but the sun was still hours. Most of the place would not be up for quite a while. In fact he would still be sleeping at this hour if he could. As it so often happens when you rule a country, sleep often allude you, as it did for Zuko tonight.

No matter, he thought, I'll just get an early start on the day. With that he set to practicing his bending. Working thou his forms over and over again until the sweat pored off him. He had always pushed himself hard, now that he was Fire Lord he pushed harder. He was not going to be seen as weak. When his work out was over the sun was still at least an hour away if not more, so he bathed, dressed, and went to work in his office.

He knew as he enter the room that going to work this early in the morning meant that once again he would miss breakfast with his wife and child. He couldn't help but feel guilty. He did this most mornings and miss dinner most nights. Over the years he had started to work more and more and see his family less and less. Katara had once suggested he worked to avoid with them. Was he really avoiding from them? When had he started avoiding? Was he avoiding them because he had grown tired of them? Or was it something more? He loved Mai, didn't he? Then why was he spending so much time away from her?

Mercifully this line of thought was broken by the sight of a messenger hawk waiting on its perch for him. This particular hark was one of his own and meant that the message could only be from a handful of people. Maybe it was from Sokka informing him that Suki was yet again with child. Or maybe Toph or Ty Lee might be coming for a visit. Or the less likely option that it might be from Aang. The hawk barely moved when Zuko reached out and took the message from the bird's leg. He unrolled the parchment and saw hand writing he knew too well. Katara was finished with her assignment and was coming home. She would be back by dark. He smiled to himself. He would meet her after his dinner with Mai. He looked down at the snow globe still in its box. She was coming back. Tonight. Then almost as suddenly as she had come in to his mind, he banished her from it and set to work on today's pile of papers.

At the top of the pile was yet another report of Earth Kingdom shipments going missing. This was the third times in two months. If he didn't find away to stop the shipments from disappearing and soon he would have The Council on his ass. The Council would never believe him when he told them he had nothing to do with the missing rice. They would no doubt claim that he was withholding the supplies or redirecting them for some evil purpose. There were times when he wished the damn council had never been formed. They spend more time thinking of things to accuse the Fire Nation of doing, then finding ways to help people.

The shipment or the people behind there disappearing shipments would have to be found sooner rather than later. He knew just the person to send to find the missing shipments. He took out a piece of parchment and wrote something down and placed it in the hidden compartment of his desk, before getting back to his other papers.

It wasn't more than an hour before his councilors and scribes come in and the real work began. There were meeting and papers to sign, more meeting, and more papers. He worked on even after his councilors and scribes had left and the lamps were lit. It wasn't until one of Mai's handmaidens came in to remind him that dinner was being served in the royal apartment, that he final stopped working.

He couldn't miss dinner. He had promised.

Mai sat on a cushion in the royal apartment trying not to get upset that her husband had yet to show up. He had promised her that he would be there. He never broke a promise to her. Yet he still was not here. Dinner had been served almost an hour ago and he was still not here. Was this the point at which he started lying to her, and braking promises. Her mother had told her that it would happen, that all husband, especially Fire Lords would turned away from their wives once an heir was born. It was at this point that all men when looking for companionship elsewhere. She had never thought it would happen to her. Her marriage had not been arranged. She had made a love mach. Even after Zuko had started taken mistresses, she had not been shocked or even upset. He at that point was still spending every night with her. It was only in the last few years that he had spent more and more time away from her. Was he done with her now that she had given him an heir? Her eyes feel on the squirming boy who sat across the small table from her. He looked so much like his father had as a child. At least she had a son if not a husband. Had she been any other woman she would have cried.

Her son had stopped picking at his food as his mother's eyes fell on him. He had been told that he couldn't eat till his father joined them. It seemed that his father was never going to show up. The time passed so slowly it felt like ages to the poor boy who wanted nothing more right now than to eat. What four year old would be able to hold back when all his favorite foods where right there in front of him? So he would grabbed small bits when he felt his mother wasn't watching.

"Iroh you shouldn't pick at your food."

"Daddy" Iroh shouted with all the joy in the world. Finally he could really eat.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming." Mai's words hurt him as she hoped that they would. He had never wanted to be a bad father or husband. And yet that was what he was doing. How much of this had he learned from his own father?

"I promised you I would be here." He bent down and kissed Mai's check and took his seat between her and Iroh.

Wanting to change the focus of this conversation he turned to his wide eyed son, "What did you learn in your studies today, Iroh?" Zuko lost himself in listening to his son chatter on about all that he had learned and the other little things that only concern children. Zuko did love listening to the small boy talk. He had so much energy. He was reminded of Aang. Even though Aang was in is twenties now he was still very much a child Zuko had meet years earlier. Which Zuko supposed that was why The Council kept so many things from Aang. Or was The Council keeping Aang ignorant on purpose?

He smiled at Mai, who's anger had been washed away by this interaction of father and son. Zuko saw how her eyes glowed with happiness. This was all she wanted, form her husband. He just had to spend more time with his family, to make her happy. "And what did you learn today." She asked Zuko trying to join in the conversation. This was a mistake she should have known not to make.

"Oh it was the same old stuff really, land grants, mining rights, pardons, that sort of thing. Oh and Katara is returning tonight. In fact she should be here soon if she isn't here already." He said as if it was nothing. But Mai knew what he was really saying and she was less than happy about it.

"Oh, aunty Katara." Iroh was taking joy in what his mother could not. "Will she have a present for me?"

"I don't know, I'll ask when I see her." He spoke pretending her couldn't feel Mai's anger wafting over the room. And then as if on cue there was a rap on the door and a servant entered.

"What?" Mai snapped at the servant letting her temper get the better of her. Having never been spoke to this way by the Fire Lady, the girl froze to the spot where she stood, unable to move or speck. The poor girl looked so scared that Zuko took pity on her and rose to retrieve the note that was on the poor girl's gold tray.

He read the note, replaced it, and smiled at the girl. "You can go now." He returned to his set. "That poor girl was shaking, Mai." Iroh tried to make himself small and unseen, at hearing his fathers raised voice, as he always tried to do when his parents argued.

"She should have waited till she was invited to enter." Mai said as she picked up a pea pod and placed it in her mouth. She did not need him to tell her that it was wrong to be mean to the servants. She already knew that and part of her hated that she had taken her anger out on the girl. But she couldn't take her anger out on the person she wanted too. "Let's just finished dinner."

Iroh yawn in to Zuko's arm as his father carried him to his bed a few hours later. "But I'm not tired." The boy protested. Zuko couldn't help but smile at thought that he had once made the same statement to his mother. He placed the boy in to his bed and pulled the cover up over him, as Mai stood in the doorway watching the scene of domestic bliss that was unfolding in front of her. Why couldn't it be like this every night? Why could she not hold on to him the way she uses to?

Zuko felt her eyes on him as he tucked the boy in to bed and kissed the forehead of the sleeping prince. He knew what was coming and wasn't looking forwarded to it. He slowly moved out of this room and in to the next trying to prolong this peace as long as he could.

It happened almost as soon as Mai had closed the door to the nursery. "Stay with me." Her plea was just above a whisper. She hated to have to ask him this and he hated that he had to hear it. And he hated even more what he was about to say next. Her back was to him and he was glad. He wasn't sure he could meet her eyes right then.

"I have to meet Katara. I have to get her report." The over used excuses feel out of his mouth like a stone. His words were fooling no one and he knew it. He had known for some time that they weren't.

She was across the room is a heartbeat. "Can't it wait till tomorrow? Come to bed… with me." Her hands were around his. "Please." He could here the tears that she never cried in her voice.

"Tomorrow." He said slowing lifting her hands to his mouth and kissed them. He still couldn't meet her eyes he knew that if he did he would see nothing but pain in them. He couldn't deal with that. He hated to hurt her. He slid his hand out of her's and left her standing alone in an empty room once again.


	3. Chapter 3 Sweat

Ch. 3 Sweat

"Is the Avatar here?" Katara asked the first servant she passed on her route to her rooms. She didn't stop or even slow down, she just kept walking forcing the servant girl to try and keep up with the waterbender, who was in much better shape.

"He is not malady."

Oh course he wasn't. It was like every other time, He was never here. He hadn't even been back to the palace in months. Why would he? Why would the man who claimed to love her, be with her? She didn't have to ask the question, she knew the answer. Aang was in love with the idea for her, and not her. She did not need to be present for that.

"Where is the Fire Lord tonight?"

"He is having dinner with the royal family." Was the breathless girls replay. She was losing ground to Katara.

Katara keep walk as if she had not heard the girl. She wanted to not have heard, but she had and there was no pretending she didn't. So he was with Mai. This meant that it would be some time before he would come to her. He had a duty to play the family man. There was no denying ones duty. Also she could begrudge Mai time with her husband, could she? Besides this would give her time to bath and eat she told herself.

"Have some food sent to my room and a warm bath drawn."

"Yes malady." And with that the girl was gone in a flash, she too knew of Katara now famous temper.

Once in her rooms Katara sat herself at her desk and took to writing a small note telling Zuko that she was tried and she was going to bed. That she would meet him tomorrow. It was a lie and she knew it. It was all for show. The whole of the court knew she was Zuko's mistress, probably the whole world too. But she had to be seen as nothing more than the Water Tribe ambassador and a friend of the Royal family. Most of all she did this in an effort to not hurt Mai, any more then she already was. She did like Mai.

She had gotten to know the Fire Lady very well over the years, and had been allowed to see a different privet side of her. One in which she happy, sad, silly, angry and a whole range of other emotions, all of which were kept away from the world behind closed doors. It was behind these closed doors that Mai had confided in her years ago, that she knew Zuko had started to take other lovers to his bed. Behind the doors that Mai had told her she was carrying a child. Behind the doors Mai had shown her friend many joys and sorrows. The last time Katara had seen behind those closed doors was when she saw the joy in Mai face when she held her son for the first time. It ended when she was moved in to a suite of rooms' right below Zuko's own. The mistress's quarters, Mai had told informed her that day. "At least it's you and not some other woman I don't know." Mai's world had hunted her ever since. Mai's worlds had been so hallow sounding. Katara respected that Mai never pretended that she didn't know what was going on, and world and its people were anything less then what they were.

She folded the paper and handed it to girl who had brought her dinner to her. "Take this to the Fire Lord, please."

It was nice to eat such a simple meal dinner. It was the palace's version of simple, a hot pot with pork, kimchee, and of course rice. It reminded her of traveling with the gang. She allowed herself a smile at the thought. Her bath however did not remind her of her travels. She never had a bath like this anywhere outside the palace. The water was warm and scented with rose petals. She loved the way it made her smell, it was as far away from the copper smell blood had, as one could get. She knew Zuko must like the smell as well, he always keep her bath stocked with roses. After lingering in the bath she took no time in picking out and dressing in a simple night gown. She did take her time though picking a necklace to wear with the gown. She had stopped wearing her mother necklace for now. In the back of her mind she kept the thought that one day she would wear it again. This thought was kept next to the one about wearing blue again. In the end she chose a beaded necklace that she had received for her last birthday. She was now left with nothing else to do while she waited. It was only out of shear boredom that she started looked over reports and letters that she had received wile she was gone. Hours passed before Zuko final arrived. He entered her room without so much as knock at the door. This was his right as Fire Lord, she guessed.

"I was beginning to thing you weren't coming. Or that maybe you where taking my note at face value." Or that Mai hand enticed you to stay with her. But she could not speck those words to him. That would be admitting that she cared for him. That is was more than just sex. She was not ready to do that. Not yet.

He had to catch his breath before he could answer her question. Every time he saw her, she took his breath away. She was far from being the girl he had met eleven years ago. She had grown into the most stunning women he had very seen. Her legs where longer and leaner then they had been. Her hair longer and lose. But it was her eyes that drew him in, a blue ocean in each blue orb. And here she was wearing nothing but a red slip that showed off best parts of her body. He could feel sweat forming around his hair line. He was a lucky man for being allowed to be with her and Aang was a fool for not being with her more.

"I know you too well to not read between the lines of your notes." He final managed to say. He stepped over to where she sat at her desk. He half leaned half sat on to the top of the desk, trying to look manly and as if he didn't care. He really just wanted to be closer to her. She smiled to herself. She knew what he was trying to do. It was a funny thought that the great Fire Lord would be trying to impress his mistress. She appreciated the jester all the same.

"So what are you looking at?" He said as he set a box on the top of the paper that where spread across the desk top. He couldn't wait for her to see the gift.

"Nothing now." She said wide eyed at that box. "A gift. Maybe I should go away more often." It was one of those statements that hung in the air. They both knew that she left enough already and it wouldn't be long before she would have to go out again.

Katara hands went out to the box. She carefully untied the string and took the top of the box off. Inside was a shiny glass globe. She took it in her hand and watched as the snow fall down on the little city. She smiled. The North Pole just as she remembered it.

"I had it made for you. It's the new South Pole Capital. Do you like it?"

She leaned back in her chair. "Yes. Very much." Her eyes sadden a bit. She loved her gift but it pained her that she didn't recognize her home. She stared at it, trying to comment the city to memory. It was so different from the igloos she had known. You really can't go have again. And she never would, at least not the way she had known and loved ,it.

Zuko was not blind to Katara's pained expression. He leaned over and took the offending globe from her hands and kissed her.

It was a slow kiss, both of them trying to remember how this work. How long had it been since they were here last? It felt like an eternity and not the a few days that it had been. The kisses started out small and grew. Her lips were soft and inviting. He was more than willing to except that invitation. She was a sweet rose smelling angel; an angel that by pure luck had fallen in to his lap. If he had one wish before he died, it would be to kiss this beautiful fallen angel.

She sled her hands up his chest and wrapped them around his neck rising to better meet his tender kisses. His arms wrapped around her hips bring her in close. "I missed you." He spoke in to her lips before he placed another kiss on her mouth.

She had missed him to but she couldn't say the words. The only way to tell him how she felt was to show him. Her hands were now running though his hair as he moved his kissing down her neck. She could feel his hand moving up her back and lightly pulling down the thin strap of her gown. The more he touched her the more she wanted him. This passion was the only thing in her life that felt real and unforced. She was a woman when she was with him. Not a weapon to be welded by the Council or the girl who found a boy in the ice, but a flesh and blood woman.

Before she had realized what had happened he had moved her over to the bed. He hands pulled down her silk gown, until she was standing before him naked. He had to stop and just look at her. The orange glow of the lamps contrasted nicely with her dark skin. Her form was much the same has he remember it looking 10 years ago, now it was more womanly and grown. Her perfect body was only marred by a few scars and burses that came from years of fighting. These wounds only made him want her more. She was a real woman and not the painted doll that Mai and the other women of the court where.

As she stood before her lover and a smile formed on her lips and in her heart. She liked it when he looked at her naked body. There was nothing he could hide from her, his eyes told her everything, and there was only ever admiration and love in those amber eyes. Why, why, why couldn't Aang look at her this way? She pushed Aang from her mind. This was Zuko's time and Aang could wait as he had made her wait. She stepped forwarded and kiss Zuko as she pulled his tunic open and down his arms. This was their time together and the both knew what to do and how to make the most of it.

They work in unison alternating hands and kisses as the last of his clothes come off and they feel into the bed. She arched into his warm weight, she had long felt that her soul had frozen in her, leavening her was cold as dearth. He was pure fire; only he could bring her to life.

She couldn't cache her breath as his hands moved to across her thigh. It wasn't until his hand had moved to her inner thigh that her breath caught back up and made itself know with a moan. She let out squeal second later as he sent a small jolt of electricity in to her. He lover the sounds she was making. Mai was always so quit. She would bit her lip to the point of drawing blood, before she would let him hear her make a sound. But Katara never failed to respond to him. He kissed her stomach in way of a thank you.

She leaned her head back in to the pillows, turning her head to better look at him, knowing what the kiss in her stomach was for. She worked her hands into his hair and gently pulled his face to meet her's. She kissed him, running her hands up and down his toned back; making sure to touch where he liked her fingers.

He pushed into her, making her trough her head back and rise to meet his lip, which kissed her chest at the base of her neck. No longer where they the Fire Lord and the Water Tribe ambassador. Now they were two people taking joy in each other's bodies, working as one to make each other happy. He moved she responded in kind, she moved he responded. Over and over again until final they both fell happily exhausted into each other's arms.

He rested his head on her chest lessoning to her heartbeat. She smoothed his shiny black hair back away from his face. They lay blissfully this way for a long time, letting the sweat dripping off their intertwined bodies. This moment was the best part for them both.

_A/N: I have tried to spell check the best of my abilities, however I know that there are still a lot of mistakes. If you want to be an editor on this story please let me know. _

_As for the story, I don't like sex for sex sake so I tried to make this scene show the compatibility of the Katara and Zuko. Please tell me what you think I always looking to improve. With any luck I will be updating more regularly. _


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